• Community

Waikato vet named Fonterra Dairy Woman of the Year 2024

  • Community

In what was one of the most competitive years yet, herd health vet Katrina Roberts has been announced as the 2024 Fonterra Dairy Woman of the Year.

The award was announced at a gala dinner in early May at the Dairy Women’s Network 2024 Conference “Enhance, Elevate, Evolve” in New Plymouth.

Dairy Women’s Network (DWN) Trustee Donna Smit says Katrina has raised the bar for the sector and personifies enthusiasm and the values of the DWN. She was recognised for her outstanding passion and advocacy for the dairy sector.

“We are thrilled to award Katrina the 2024 Fonterra Dairy Woman of the Year. Her commitment and passion to helping farmers and advocate for her industry and her team is outstanding. Her research and development has changed the way many farmers operate their business for the betterment of the whole industry. She has already achieved so much in a short space of time and will continue to add huge value to the agriculture industry in governance, advocacy, and leadership well into the future,” she says.

Based in the Waikato, Katrina is a herd health veterinarian for Anexa Veterinary Services. For the past 20 years she has provided farm consultancy and has been involved in the redevelopment of many DairyNZ programmes including InCalf, FeedRight, and body condition score accreditation. Her expertise is often called upon by farmers and vets across the country in both a research and project management role and keynote speaking.

She is also heavily involved in the community, volunteering with Cambridge Riding for the Disabled and is an active member of the Walton School Board of Trustees, netball and hockey coaching, and Matamata Pony Club.

Katrina believes that the Dairy Women’s Network and the Fonterra Dairy Woman of the year award are a great opportunity to unite and celebrate all the superwomen in the dairy sector.

“These amazing rural women are in a variety of roles, and we all have a part to play in the success of the sector. I am humbled to be the winner, as feel I am no different to many others, including the awesome three other finalists.”

As a vet, and not a dairy farmer, Katrina isn’t a traditional recipient of the award.

“I believe dairy vets are an integral part of the farm team. I want to share my love for working for and alongside dairy farmers – they are just the best! As a dairy vet, empathy and strong relationships with our clients contribute to the success on farm. We are part of the farm team. What drives me is helping my farmers and my community - giving my time and serving others.

“I am like so many women in the dairy sector, I wear many hats. I am a dairy vet, a researcher, a farm consultant, a teacher, a wife, a mother, an RDA coach, a school board member, and a netball coach – I believe that my strength is my willingness to contribute 100% to many walks of life, and really encourage others to do the same.

Fonterra CEO Miles Hurrell says the Co-op is proud to have sponsored the award since its inception.

“Congratulations to all of the finalists and to Katrina in particular for being named Fonterra Dairy Woman of the Year. Katrina has worked closely with many of Fonterra’s On-Farm Excellence team who describe her as a tireless advocate for farmers, holding our industry to high, evidence-based standards and offering practical solutions that deliver real value on-farm. Through her impressive list of achievements, it’s clear to see how passionate she is about animal wellbeing and building a better future for farmers, her fellow vets and the dairy industry as a whole. It's important to shine a light on women who are making outstanding contributions to the dairy industry and helping pave the way for the next generation to succeed”, says Miles.

For Katrina, winning the Fonterra Dairy Woman of the Year provides a platform to showcase how important women dairy vets are, especially as a part of the farm team.

“I love my job and the farm teams I work in. I want to inspire others to give their time in their rural community. Because I am privileged to be part of many farm teams, I am in a unique position to influence. I’m excited about the opportunities ahead with the Kellogg’s rural leadership programme and where it leads”, says Katrina.

Katrina was one of four finalists, who Donna Smit says, were all exemplary in their own right.

“Our judges had their work cut for them this year as we had such a large number of high calibre entries. The other finalists, Myfanwy Alexander, Amber Carpenter, and Michelle Ruddell are amazing women who bring a huge amount of passion, knowledge and leadership to the sector and embody our conference theme: Enhance, Elevate, Evolve. We are fortunate to have women of their calibre working in the dairy industry,” she says.

Katrina will receive a scholarship to be part of the Kellogg Rural Leadership Programme. The scholarship covers the programme fee, travel and accommodation, mentoring and access to DWN and Fonterra platforms to share research.